The Imo River (Igbo:Imo) is located in southeastern Nigeria and flows 240 kilometres (150 mi) into the Atlantic Ocean . In Akwa Ibom State , the river is known as Imoh River , that is, Inyang Imoh , which translates to River of Wealth ( Ibibio : Inyang means river or ocean , and Imoh means wealth ). Its estuary is around 40 kilometres (25 mi) wide, and the river has an annual discharge of 4 cubic kilometres (1.0 cu mi) with 26,000 hectares of wetland . The Imo's tributary rivers are the Otamiri and Oramirukwa . The Imo was cleared under the British colonial administration of Nigeria in 1907–1908 and 1911; first to Aba and then to Udo near Umuahia .
8-502: The deity, or Alusi of the river is the female Imo who communities surrounding the river believe to be the owner of the river. Mmiri in Ibo or Igbo language means water or rain. A festival for the Alusi is held annually between May and July. The Imo River features an 830-metre (2,720 ft) bridge at the crossing between Rivers State and Akwa Ibom State . The river god, or Arushi,
16-414: A child is worth more than money or Arawakan; no wealth is worthier than a child, or Nwabuugwu; a child is the greatest honor. In a small part of Igboland (Imo and Abia states- Mba-area), women who successfully deliver ten children are rewarded with special celebrations and rites that honor their hips. Infertility is considered a particularly harsh misfortune. The Igbo believe that it is children who perpetuate
24-617: A roundtable discussion hosted by the Open Arms Initiative for Sustainable Development when Ugoanyanwu made this announcement. He regretted that the city's pipes had been destroyed during the Urban Renewal program of the previous governor Rochas Okorocha's government, making it difficult for tap water to run into the homes of different parts of the city. This article about a location in Rivers State , Nigeria
32-551: A warning from Imo State Water and Sewerage Corporation. The General Manager (GM), Emeka Ugoanyanwu, said over the weekend that locals should not dispose of trash, urinate, bury the dead, and build soak-away pits along the river. A project to deliver clean water to Imo residents will also get underway by January, according to the World Bank. Three monarchs from five autonomous communities in the Owerri municipality were present for
40-567: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Imo State , Nigeria location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article related to a river in Nigeria is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Alusi Arusi are spirits that are worshipped and served in the Igbo religion . There are many different kinds of Arusi and each has its own purpose and function. The Igbo ancestral world
48-516: Is a female imo, and the communities surrounding the river believe her to be the river's owner. Imo river was reported by the world Health Organization as one of the most polluted rivers in Nigeria. The river has been said to have coliform bacteria, which makes it unsafe for human consumption. The major supply of drinkable water for Owerri, the Otamiri River, may dry up if people of the state's capital city continue to pollute it, according to
56-493: Is divided into several interconnected realms, principal among them being the realm of the living, the realm of the dead or of the ancestors, and the realm of the unborn. Individuals who led an honorable life and received a proper burial proceeded to the ancestral realm to take their place among the ancestors (" Ndichie "), who are separate from the Arusi. From there they kept a watchful eye on the clan and visited their loved ones among
64-427: The living with blessings such as fertility, good health, longevity, and prosperity. In gratitude the living offered sacrifices to them at the family hearth, and sought their counsel. Each major Arusi has a priest in every town that honors it, and the priest is assisted by a group of acolytes and devotees. Children are still considered the greatest blessing of all and this is reflected in popular names such as Nwakaego;
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